Collapsible car-body.



C. HEINZ 6L J. DU ROTH.

GOLLAPSIBLB GAR BODY.

APPLIOATION FILED APRJlz, 191s.

` wlTNEssEs lNlfENToRs @1M/5M. l

\ CARL HEINZ AND JOHN DU'RO'LH,

uEATENT oEEIoE.

OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

COLLAPSIIBLE CAR-BODY.

i ,esami Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

lippueation'mea Api-n 12, 191s. serial No. 760,792.

To all lwhom it may concern: Be it known that we, ARL HEINZ and .Tousv DU Ro'rn, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria? and State of Pennsylvaniae have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Car- Bodies, of which the following is a specification, referencev being had therein tothel` accompanying drawing. v This invention relates to a collapsible car. body, and our invention aims to provide, first, means whereby a gondola or semi-box. car body can be converted into a flat bottom body to permit of various kinds of mer-v chandise being carried upon the body ofthe` car and easily removed therefrom.. Second, ay truck frame having foldable walls that can be easily and quickly collapsed when not in use. rlhird, a truck frame having foldable walls provided with means for maintaining the same rigid whenin a set up position. Fourth, a gondola, which when' not in use or is being returned, empty, faciliiY tates the movement of trainmen from one end of the train to the opposite end, when the. .train is in motion.

lhe invention further aims to accomplish the above results by a combination of ele? ments that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is. to be understood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible to such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Reference will now be hadi. to the 'drawing, wherein like numeralsv denote corresponding parts throughout the`s'everal views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car body in accordance with our invention, Flg. 21s a plan of the same, Fig. 3Vis a side elevation tudinal edges thereof hinged as at 2 and 3,-

to the longitudinal edges of the foldable side walls 4', which latter are of less length than the truck' frame l. The ends of the truck frame l areiudicated at 5 and constitute sills.v The outer sides 'of the walls/1 are provided at the upper and lower edges thereof. with vertically alining` straps 6 and slldably mounted in said straps are locking bars T adapted to extend in the straps 8 carrled by the sides of the frame 1, the straps S vertically alining with the straps 'G when the side walls -are in a -vertical position. The

locking bars d are limited in their movement relatively to the sidel wall 4: by rivets or p1ns'9 extending in the vertical slots 10 provided therefor inl the wall 1l, as 4shown in.

Hinged to the truck frame l, similar to the walls 4, are transverse end walls 1l having the vertical edges thereof flanged, as at l2 to engage thel outersides ofthe side walls si. The flanges 12, adjacent to. the upperand lower ends thereof, are provided with pivotedhooks 13 adapted 'to engage in eyes 'or staples 14, carried'by the outer sides of 'the side walls 4ll. Thesehooks and staples maintain the end walls 11 in a vertical position lrelatively tothe side walls 4, and af- -ter` the side walls have been folded upon the 'truckgframm the end walls can be swung in-4 wardlygtoa closed position, asbest shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The walls of the cau` body have'been con-l veutionally` Aillustrated 'and can be rein lby angle barssuitablyv forced `or stiii'ened disposed. -f

What we claim is 1. The combination with a truck frame,

Aside walls adapted to fold yinwardly upon said frame, end walls adapted to `fold inwardly upon 'the outer sides of said side walls, locking bars vertically disposed in parallelism upon the outer sides of said side walls, straps carried by said truck'frame and adapted to receive-the lower ends f said barsfor maintaining said Walls in a vertical position, and means carried by said end walls for engaging the ends of said side walls whereby said end walls will be main-- tained in a vertical position.

2. The combination with a truck frame, side walls hinged thereto and adapted to fold inwardly upon said frame, end walls hinged tosaid truck frame and adapted to 'fold inwardly upon the outer sides of said side walls, straps carried by the outer sides of said side walls,'vertically disposed parallel locking bars arranged in. said straps, straps carried-by said frame and adapted to receive the lower ends of said locking means carried by said end walls and. adaptbars, mea-ns carried by said bars and engag- In testimony whereof We aix our` signaing in said-side Walls for limiting the opentures in the presence of two witnesses. ing and closing- Ymovement of said bars, and CARL HEINZ ed to -engage the `ends of said 'side Walls l JOHN DU ROTH' whereby said end Walls will be maintained Witnesses: in Va vertical position relatively to said side i FLORENCE M. GoviER, walls. l ELLA L. MAsER. 

